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Pittsburgh to host 2014 US Gymnastics Championship

PITTSBURGH, PA – USA Gymnastics and VisitPittsburgh today announced that the 2014 U.S. Gymnastics Championships will be held in Pittsburgh for the first time. Scheduled for Aug. 21-24, the four-day competition, which serves as USA Gymnastics’ national championships, will be held at CONSOL Energy Center and tickets will go on sale late this summer. The USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show will be staged at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

In addition to VisitPittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Penguins, AEG and CONSOL Energy Center were instrumental in bringing the event to the city. The City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County are also helping support the championships.

"USA Gymnastics is excited about bringing our most prestigious annual event to Pittsburgh for the first time," said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. "Pittsburgh is known for its loyal sports fans and traditions. We were impressed with the commitment, outreach and leadership support demonstrated during the bid process, and we believe this will be the perfect partnership for staging an incredible event."

It is an honor to be selected as the host city for this prestigious event," said Craig Davis, president and CEO of VisitPittsburgh. "We are looking forward to the opportunity to showcase Pittsburgh's revitalization. And, we're committed to providing memorable experiences that exceed expectations for the thousands of out-of-town visitors."

"CONSOL Energy Center and AEG Facilities are honored to be selected to host the 2014 USA Gymnastics Championship. Pittsburgh is famous for its strong sports culture, and hosting the Championships will once again showcase CONSOL Energy Center as the premier sporting destination in the region," said Jay Cooper, regional vice president of AEG Facilities. "This is a fantastic event for the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, and we are looking forward to working with our partners, USA Gymnastics and VisitPittsburgh on this iconic event."

"The Pittsburgh Penguins are excited that the 2014 U.S. Gymnastics Championships are coming to Pittsburgh and CONSOL Energy Center," said David Morehouse, CEO and president of the Penguins. "Pittsburgh has a well-deserved reputation as a phenomenal sports town and we know that fans throughout our region will come out to support this unique national championship event."

The competition schedule for 2014 is as follows.

Thursday, Aug. 21 – women's gymnastics, juniors and seniors

Friday, Aug. 22 – men's gymnastics, juniors and seniors

Saturday, Aug. 23 – women's gymnastics, juniors and seniors

Sunday, Aug. 24 – men's gymnastics, juniors and seniors

The U.S. Gymnastics Championships showcases the country's best male and female gymnasts, as well as determine the U.S. champions and the U.S. national team for the junior and senior elite levels. The nationals also traditionally serve as part of the selection process for the U.S. Team for the World Championships.

2014 will be the first time the U.S. Championships have been held in Pennsylvania since 2001 and just the fourth since 1973.

The 2013 U.S. Championships are Aug. 15-18 at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich./Gedderts' Twistars USA, and John Orozco of the Bronx, N.Y./ U.S. Olympic Training Center won the women's and men's 2012 U.S. all-around titles, respectively. The roster of former U.S. all-around champions is a veritable who's who of gymnastics, including: women – Jordyn Wieber, Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson, Carly Patterson, Courtney Kupets, Shannon Miller, Dominique Dawes, Kim Zmeskal and Mary Lou Retton; and men – John Orozco, Danell Leyva, Jonathan Horton, Paul Hamm, Blaine Wilson, John Roethlisberger, Mitch Gaylord, Peter Vidmar and Bart Conner. The U.S. Gymnastics Championships traces its history back to 1897 for the men and 1931 for the women.

The annual USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show is a three-day event open to the entire gymnastics community. Held in conjunction with the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, National Congress provides a unique opportunity for presentations, demonstrations and educational seminars on a variety of topics and a large exhibitor's hall with additional business opportunities.

Background Information

VisitPittsburgh. VisitPittsburgh is the official tourism promotion agency for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to generating convention, trade show and leisure travel business for the Pittsburgh region.

CONSOL Energy Center. CONSOL Energy Center, operated by AEG Facilities, is Pittsburgh's premier indoor site for sports and entertainment. In addition to being home to the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins, the arena, hosted the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball 2nd and 3rd rounds, and will host the 2013 NCAA Frozen Four as well as the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball 2nd and 3rd rounds.

David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Completed in 2003 and owned by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA), the DLCC is located in downtown Pittsburgh's Cultural District, within steps of theaters, museums, sport venues, galleries and restaurants. The dynamic architectural design is like no other – breath-taking views, open terraces and a suspended roof structure. As the first LEED Gold certified convention center under the LEED for New Construction rating system, some of the "green" features include: a natural ventilation system, abundant natural daylight, a water reclamation system, and an extensive recycling program. The DLCC continues to adhere to the slogan; "Built Green. Working Green. Every Day" and has now achieved LEED Platinum certification under the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance rating system. The DLCC is the first convention center to receive certification under both rating systems.

USA Gymnastics. Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men's and women's artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and group gymnastics. For more information, log on to www.usagym.org.